Wing brace for sampson posts



June 16, 1936.

s. c. CURRY WING BRACE FOR SAMPSON POSTS Filed June 10, 1935 INVENTOR.

Patented June 16, 1936 UNITED sTATEs PATENT- OFFICE WING BRACE FOR SAMIPSON POSTS Samuel Chandler Application June .10,

3 Claims.

, ment is pivotally mounted and commonly called a Sampson post in the vernacular of the oil fields and other localities where well drilling and, controlling operations are carried on. r

In the rigs commonly used in the industry the i Sampson post, as it is termed, is usually placed just outside of the derrick structure and it is braced by diagonal braces, at front and rear thereof, said braces extending in the vertical 1ongitudinal plane of the walking beam, or, in other Words, lengthwise of the walking beam. This is to relieve the post of stresses and thrusts in such longitudinal direction of the walking beam. However, in operation of the walking beam or teetering lever element the post is subjected to lateral go or transverse stresses and thrusts, and even twisting or torsional action, and to overcome the fefiect of such actions the, post is sometimes braced by a lateral strut element, usually a wooden beam or a simple metal bar or-rod secured at 5 one end to the post and at its opposite end to a part ofv the derrick structure. Notwithstanding this lateral bracing, the stresses and thrusts above n'oted have not been as fully and'ideally overcome as is desirable and even necessary in 0 proper arid reasonably accurate driving and manipulation of the drilling, pumping, and other devices operated from and by the walking beam. The principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an'improved lateralor 3 wing braceof simple, yet practical and eificient construction, and with adjustability, which is readily applied to a Sampson post or the like so as to fully resist not only the transverse stresses and thrusts to which the post is subjected, but to 4-0 also hold the post securely against twisting or torsional movement. Other objects and advantages to be attained will hereinafter more fully appear in the following description.

The invention consists in the novel general application of the wing brace and in the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and set forth with particularity in the appended claims. r In the accompanying drawing illustrating a 5 practicaladaptation of the invention,--

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower portionof an oil well derrick or the like .and showing the -Sampson post braced to the "corner upright of the derrick structure;

. Figure 2 is a view, on an enlarged scale, show- C'urry, Graham, Tex.

1935, Serial No. 25,857

ing the Sampson post in cross section and the wing brace attached thereto, the brace being shown in top plan and portions broken away and shown in section to illustrate the adjustability of the brace; and V Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the Sampson post in elevation and as projected from Figure 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows indicated on the line of section 3--3 through the brace members. 7

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral l designates generally an ordinary present day metal framed derrick structure for oil wells and the like, the corner uprights 2 of the frame, as shown, being of round cross section, and said corner uprights being braced in the usual manner by transverse members 3 and diagonal members i. and 5. Howevenas far as the presentinvention is concerned, the derrick structure may be of any approved type.

Located outside of the derrick structure but adjacent thereto is theSampson post 5 of an ordinary rig. This post 6, as shown, is mortised, as at I, into a base timber 8, in the usual manner.

At front and rear the post 6 is braced by diagonal 5 pieces 9, II), which are mortised into the post, as at l I, at their upper ends and at their lower ends into the base timber 8, as at I2. As shown, the base timber 8 is conventionally mounted on cross supporting timbers I 3, M, on which the usual platform (not shown) is built.

Pivotally mounted, as at IS, on the upper end portion of the post 6, is the walking beam or teetering lever element IQ of the rig, which has its inner end portion projected into the interior 5 'of the derrick structure and has pivotally attached, as at H, the depending drilling or other attachment l8 which'is merely indicated in a conventional manner. The outer end portion I9 of the walking beam or lever element IE5 is shown broken off, but, obviously, in practice extends some distance from the pivotal axis of the beam or lever element and is operatively attached to a power-actuated device (not shown). It is noted that the braces 9 and I9 extendin the longitudinal direction of the beam or lever element It, whereby to resist stresses and thrusts upon the post 6 in that direction. This is in accordance with the usual practice in rigs of the character for which the wing brace of the present invention is more particularly intended.

. The wing brace of the present invention will now be described. In the illustrative drawing the members of the device are shown as of angle tion. However, they may be of other cross sectional form, but, preferably, for lightness with requisite strength and rigidity, they are of some approved commercial angle iron cross section. The brace comprises a strut member 20, preferably adjustable lengthwise, and, to this end, said member comprises two pieces 2|, 22, which are joined at their meeting end portions in overlapped relation, as at 23 (see Figure 3 for details). As shown, the meeting end portions of the pieces 2|, 22, are provided with apertures 24 which are brought into registration in joining the pieces and securing bolts 25, preferably three as shown, are inserted in the registered apertures at the places indicated. This gives ample strength and rigidity at the joint, as well as providing for ready adjustment in lengthening and shortening the strut member 20, at will. One end portion of the piece 2| is turned at a slight angle, as at 26, and said portion is bolted to the post 6, as at 21, the bolt being located preferably near the extreme end of the portion 26 and corresponding corner of the post 6. The relative angularity of the portion 26 of the piece 2| is governed by the distance the post 6 is from the side of the derrick structure and the distance from the post 6 to the corner upright of the derrick structure to which the wing brace is attached. These distances also determine the length of the member 20 of the wing brace, and for which purpose the adjustment of said member 20 lengthwise, as at 23, is primarily provided.

At the outer end of the piece 22 of the strut member 20, as shown, the horizontal flange of the piece is cutaway, as at 28, and the remaining portion of the other flange is preferably recessed roundingly, as at 29, toafford a seat for the corner upright 2 of the derrick structure, and on opposite sides of said recess 29 the flange extension is apertured to receive the end portions of a substantially U-shape clip 39 by which the strut 20 is attached to said .corner upright 2 of the derrick structure, said end portions of the clip being obviously screw-threaded to receive clamping nuts 3| which are tightened against the outer face of the vertical flange extension of the strut member.

A supplemental strut member 32 is also provided, it being in effect a diagonal brace or stay for the wing brace structure. As shown, this member 32 has its horizontal flange cutaway in the region of its outer end, as at 33, and the remaining portion of the vertical flange is turned at a slight angle to the main body portion of the member 32, as at 34, and apertured for the reception of a securing bolt 35 which is inserted in the aperture and one of a series of apertures 36 provided in the vertical flange of the strut member 20 to correspond with the endwise adjustment of the member 28 as afforded by the apertures 24 provided in its two joined pieces 2|, 22, hereinbefore described.

A diagonal cross connecting member 31, preferably of angle iron section-like the strut member 29 and supplemental member 32, has one end portion of its horizontal flange cut away, as at 38, and its remaining vertical portion 39 is turned at an angle to its body portion and bolted, as at 40, to the adjacent vertical flange portion of the piece 2| of the strut member 20. The opposite end portion of the horizontal flange of the cross member 37 is cutaway, as at 4|, and the remaining vertical flange portion 42 is turned at an acute angle to the body portion of the member 31 and bolted, as at 43, to the vertical flange of the supplemental brace member 32.

As shown, the cross connecting member 31 is secured to the face of the post 6 at right angles to the face of the post to which the end portion 26 of the piece 2| of the strut member 20 is attached, the attachment of said member 31 being effected by a bolt 44 located preferably near the end of the member 31 adjacent to the supplemental brace member 32 and the adjacent corner of the post 5. By the provision of the cross connecting member 37, attached at its ends to the strut member 20 and supplemental brace member 32 as shown, and the manner of bolting said cross connecting member 31 to the post 6, a rigid wing brace structure is produced and the post 6 is not only braced to resist lateral or transverse stresses or thrusts when the walking beam I6 is oscillated during its operation on the post, but

the post is further securely held so as to effectually resist all twisting or torsional movement that would otherwise be imparted to it during operation of the walking beam.

While the provision of the two securing bolts 21 and 44, located at the places indicated in the drawing, afiords a secure and rigid at tachment of the wing brace of the present invention to the post 6 and has proven quite ample in actual practice, obviously, a greater number of bolts may be used and located at different places in the lengths of the portion 26 and the member 31. So, too, means other than the provision of the clip 33 and clamping nuts 3| may be provided at the end of the wing brace structure remote from the post 6 for attaching the device to the derrick corner upright 2 or other anchorage which may be convenient for the purpose, within the purview of the invention.

By the construction of wing brace in accordance with the present invention, and particularly the structure illustrated in the drawing, a device is produced that is capable of considerable adjustment for substantially universal application to Sampson posts and the like located at various distances, within reasonable range, of course, from the side of the derrick structure and the corner upright thereof, that is to say, one standard unitary structure with the adjustment provided as herein set forth will take care of all applications of the device to the posts of the rigs in practically all installations in well drilling and controlling or pumping operations.

Obviously, the device of the present invention may be modified in many respects without departing from the spirit and scope of the invenplemental strut member being longitudinally adjustably attached to said first mentioned longitudinally adjustable strut member near one end of the latter, means on the adjacent end portion of said first mentioned longitudinally adjustable strut member for attachment to an anchorage, and a cross connecting member attached at its opposite ends to the end portions of said two mentioned strut members remote from their place of attachment together. said 75 cross connecting member forming with the adjacent extremity of said first mentioned strut member an angular seat for attachment to two contiguous corresponding angular sides of the "Sampson post or the like.

2. The herein described unitary wing brace for "Sampson posts and the like, comprising a two-piece strut member of angular cross section, the meeting end portions of the two pieces overlapping and being each provided with a longitudinal series of apertures, securing bolts detachably fastened in registered apertures of said overlapped portions to afiord longitudinal adjustment of said strut member, the remote end portion of one piece having provision for attachment to an anchorage and being provided with a longitudinal series of apertures in its vertical side inward from said means of attachment, a supplemental diagonally disposed strut member of angular cross section having an apertured end portion, a securing bolt detachably fastened in the aperture of said end portion of said second mentioned strut member and a registered aperture of said longitudinal series of said first mentioned strut member to compensate with the longitudinal adjustment of said first mentioned strut member, and a cross connecting member of angular'oross section, opposite end portions of said cross connecting member being secured to the companion piece of said first mentioned strut member near the end of the latter remote from its overlapped end and to the adjacent end portion of said supplemental strut member, said cross connecting member forming with the extremity of said companion piece of said first mentioned strut member an angular seat for attachment to two contiguous corresponding an-,

gular sides of the Sampson post or the like.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2 and further describing the means for attachment of the brace to an anchorage as an extension of the first mentioned strut member recessed to engage a corner upright of a derrick structure and apertured on'opposite sides of the recess, with a substantially U-shape clip embracing the corner upright and having its end portions extended through the apertures in the strut member and provided with clamping nuts engaging the face of the strut member, and the post engaging seat 7 portion of the brace being specifically described as right angular.

SAMUEL CHANDLER CURRY. 

